Why does achieving your OKR doesn't necessarily mean success?

Using operational key results (OKRs) can help align your vision, strategy, goals, and day-to-day activities. Setting the right OKRs, however, is a delicate process that requires a lot of thought to ensure that the OKRs help us grow, rather than just focus on pure goal achievement.

Assume that one of your OKRs is to penetrate a new market. All units are focusing on how to penetrate this new market. At the same time, mid-year, some subtle churn is starting to appear in an existing market. Because your OKRs focus on the new market, and the trend is subtle, no attention is given to it.

While your team/company achieved the new market OKR at the end of the year, it has become increasingly difficult to stabilize the churn trend in the existing market.

We should therefore look at the bigger picture when setting the OKRs, and see what effects can occur, as well as devise mitigation plans. We should also avoid focusing solely on OKRs. While they should be a guiding light, they shouldn't consume all of our attention.

Published on: LinkedIn